Seat



Jan. 4, 1949i. s, B, MCDONALD 2,458,185

SEAT

Filed Jan. 17, 1945 Patented Jan. 4, 1949 SEAT Sterling B. McDonald, Grayslake, Ill., assignor to S. Karpen & Bros., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application January 17, 1945, Serial No. 573,207

6 Claims.

This invention relates to seats and more particularly to a seat having a retractable and eX- tensible leg rest. One of the objects of the invention is to provide a seat having a tiltable leg rest resiliently urged to a position to provide maximum comfort for the user.

Another object is to provide for a tiltable leg rest in which movement of the leg rest to an uncomfortable or awkward position is positively prevented.

Still another object is to provide a seat having a retractable leg rest which is completely enclosed when retracted. According to one feature the leg rest is received in a, hollow base on the seat and may be extended to a position outside of the base for use.

A further object is to provide a seat having a leg rest slidably supported thereon and not requiring any connection or engagement with the floor during use. This feature enables the leg rest to be extended to any desired position to suit the comfort of the user.

The above and other objects and advantages will be more readily apparent from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a seat embodying the invention with the leg rest in extended position;

Figure 2 is a partial side elevation with the leg rest retracted;

Figure 3 is a, partial section showing the leg rest extended;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing the leg retracted;

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Figure 4; and

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 4 of an alternative construction.

The seat illustrated is of the type most particularly adapted for use in railroad cars, aircraft, buses and the like and includes a pedestal Ill adapted to be secured to the floor of the car and to support a hollow, generally rectangular, base I I. A seat cushion I 2, which may be padded in any desired manner, is supported on the upper side of the base II and a pad or upholstered back I3 is secured to the base. Arm rests I4 of any desired construction may also be carried by the base.

The base is open at its forward end as seen in Figures 3 and 4 to provide a rectangular opening I5 through which the leg rest may be extended. As shown, channel members I6 are supported on the sides of the base by means of rollers I'I for sliding movement between the extended position shown in Figure 3 and the retracted position of Figure 4. The channel members I6 carry rollers I3 which slidably support bars i9 which may extend beyond the channel members as seen in Figure 3 or be retractable into the channel members as seen in Figure 4.

The outer ends of the bars I9 pivotally support a flat leg rest 2l which may be padded as indicated at 22 for tilting about a horizontal axis. The leg rest, as shown, is pivotally supported by brackets 23 secured thereto and rotatable on a supporting rod 24 carried between the ends of the bars I9.

In order to urge the leg rest about its pivotal mounting to a comfortable position for the user, spring means are provided acting between the bars I9 and the leg rest to tilt the leg rest counterclockwisel as seen in Figures l and 3. As shown, the spring means may comprise coil springs 25 anchored at one end to the bars I9 and underlying the leg rest 2|. Pivotal movement of the leg rest is limited by providing oli-set inwardly turned projections 26 on the ends of the bars I9 to engage the brackets 23 after a predetermined tilting of the leg rest to prevent further tilting thereof. As shown in Figure 1, the projections 26 limit tilting of the leg rest in a position in which the plane of the leg rest is substantially aligned with the forward upper edge of the seat cushion I2. It has been found that this is normally the position of maximum comfort and the projections 26 prevent the leg rest from turning counter-clockwise beyond this position while allowing the weight of the users legs to turn the rest slightly clockwise if conditions so require.

When the leg rest is in its retracted position as indicated in Figure 4, it is desired that it shall close the opening I5 substantially completely to prevent pinching of the users fingers in the open space and to present a better apearance. For this purpose a blocking strip 21 is secured to the outer end of the leg rest and is of a size to fit within thel lower part of the opening I 5, as shown in Figure 4 to close it. The upper part of the opening is adapted to be closed by a pivoted blocking strip 28 pivoted to the outer end of the leg rest and adapted to be folded up as seen in Figure 4 to close the upper p art of the opening. A finger opening 29 may be provided in the strip 28 to facilitate extension of the leg rest. When extended, the strip 28 is adapted to project forwardly from the leg rest to be out of the way of the users legs.

Instead of the construction shown in Figures 3 and 4, the opening I5 may be closed by a single blocking strip 3| pivoted to the forward end of the leg rest 2| intermediate its edges and of a size to ll the opening I5. With the leg rest retracted, the blocking strip 3| may be swung to a Vertical position to close the opening while when the leg rest is extended the blocking strip 3| may be turned to the position shown in dotted lines to be out of the way. Preferably a finger groove 32 is provided in the strip 3| to facilitate extension of the leg rest.

When the leg rest is not in use, it may be tilted clockwise by depressing its inner end and may then be slid into the hollow base In this position the leg rest is completely out of the way so as not to interfere with access to the seat. For

use the leg rest may be pulled forward until it clears the base and may then be allowed tc tilt to the position shown in Figures 1 and 3. It will be noted that no connection to the oor is required so that the leg rest may be extended any desired am-ount to t the particular user.

While two embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail, it will be understood that they are illustrative only and are not to be taken as a definition of the scope of the invention, reference being had for this purpose to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A seat comprising a hollow base open at its forward end, supporting means slidably mounted in the base and adapted to project forward through the open end thereof, a leg rest pivoted on the supporting means, and a blocking strip pivotally carried by the leg rest and adapted to fit into the open end of the base to lie substantially flush with the outer surface of the base, said blocking strip being movable on its pivot to a position parallel with said rest and providing an extension thereof.

.2. A seat comprising a hollow base open at its forward end, supporting means slidably mounted in the base and adapted to project forward through the open end thereof, a leg rest pivoted on the supporting means, a blocking strip carried by the outer end of the leg rest to lfit into the lower part of the open end of the base, and a second strip hinged to the outer end of the leg rest and'adapted to be swung up to close the upper part of the open end of the base.

3. A seat comprising a hollow base having `an opening at its forward end, a pair of channel members slidably mounted in the base to project through the opening in said base, bars sldable in the channel members, a substantially flat leg rest pivoted to the outer ends of the bars, a fixed blocking strip on the bottom of the leg rest to close the lower part of the opening, and a hinged blocking strip on the leg rest swingable to a position to close the upper part of the opening.

4. A seat comprising a hollow base open at its forward end, supporting means s'lidably mount@ ed in the base and adapted to project forwardly through the open end thereof, a leg rest pivoted on the supporting means, and a blocking stripk pivotally mounted upon one end of the rest and y adapted to provide a longitudinal extension for the outer end of said rest when said rest is tilted Y forwardly and adapted to be swung into a posi# tion in which it at least partially closes said opening, said strip; when forming an extension of Isaid rest being provided with means cooperating with said rest to lock said longitudinal extension against downward movement.

5. A seat comprising a hollow base open at its forward end, supportlngmeans slidably mounted members slidably mounted in the base to projectv through the opening in said base, bars sldable in the channel members, a substantially flat leg rest pvotedto the outer ends rof the bars, and la blocking strip pivoted to the outer endvof the leg rest, said strip forming an extension of said leg rest when said rest is tilted forwardly, said blocking strip being adapted to be swung into a position in which it at least partially closes the opening when said rest is withdrawn into said hollow base.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name l Date 2,543 Bauder Apr. 6, 1842 155,187 Enger Sept. 22, 1874 333,659 Munshower Jan. 5, 1886 926,309 vWitte June` 29, 1909 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country l Date 532,039 Germany Aug.`20, 1931 STERLING B. lvicnoiyALD.y 

